Problem behaviors,substance abuse and sexual abuse in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents with bulimia nervosa

Twenty-eight adolescent bulimics were compared to 201 psychiatrically hospitalized non-eating disordered patients. Non-eating disordered patients were found to be reliably more aggressive, delinquent, and under-controlled than patients with bulimia nervosa. Sexual abuse was found to be less prevalent among bulimic adolescents than comparison adolescents. No significant between group differences were achieved on any measure of alcohol/drug abuse. The behavioral profiles of substance abusing bulimics were highly similar to those of non-eating disordered patients. Three months follow-up of bulimic patients found that they were less depressed, had less somatization, and were less overcontrolled; however, they showed no reliable improvements in eating attitudes/behaviours or drug/alcohol use.     

Gender,gambling and problem gambling

With data from a 1989 Iowa survey (N=1,011), adult male and female respondents are compared on their problem gambling, its correlates, as well as their gambling behavior. Gambling behavior means its scope, frequency, wagering and leisure time spent at gambling. Women's gambling behavior was lower than that of men, due to their having a narrower scope of gambling behavior, but the genders were not significantly different on frequency, wagering and time spent at gambling. Women and men did not differ significantly on problem gambling. Problem gambling is measured as loss of control over gambling, and consequences due to gambling as well as gambling behavior. Women and men did differ significantly, however, on several predictors of problem gambling. Women's estrangement from a conventional lifestyle and integration into a social world of gambling appeared to help explain their problem gambling. Alcohol consumption appeared to be a more important predictor for men than women. The genders shared the attitude that the odds can be beat as well as being big spenders as predictors of their problem gambling. The results are interpreted with practitioners' efforts to prevent and treat problem gambling in mind.This research was partially supported by the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Na tional Institute of Mental Health (1 RJ01 MH50369-01A1). The authors are grateful to anonymous re viewers and the editor of this journal for many helpful suggestions.     

What can homosexual aging studies contribute to theories of aging?

Key concepts in sociological theories of aging are reviewed on the basis of data drawn from earlier sociological studies of aging homosexual men and from a 4-year longitudinal study of 47 homosexual men ranging from 50 to 80 years of age, particularly regarding their happiness. The article explores the question of whether or not successful weathering of the coming-out crisis provides homosexual men stamina unavailable to aging heterosexuals. Finally, it examines allied and aversive relationships of young and old gay men.     

The effects of gender and type of romantic touch on perceptions of relational commitment

This study investigated the relationship between intimate touching behaviors and corresponding cognitions of relational commitment as a function of gender. One hundred fifty-two subjects were surveyed regarding perceptions of commitment for seven intimate touches. The 2-way ANOVA revealed significant effects for gender, type of touch, and the touch by gender interaction. Progressively intimate touches were associated with greater commitment. Females associated significantly higher levels of commitment than males, particularly for the more intimate touches. The discrepancy in the level of commitment inferred by gender increases as the touching behavior grows more intimate, resulting in a greater potential for miscommunication across the more intimate channels of haptic communication.     

Counseling models and their impact on how therapists handle values issues

Counseling is not a value free enterprise. Therapeutic models are value laden. Counselors and clients are both emotionally invested in right living issues. Since no therapy is value free, clients face the dilemma of finding a therapist with values similar to their own or having their values challenged. Therapists face the ethical issue of clarifying their own values and determining how to make them known.     

Job-rejection letters as bureaucratic propaganda

In this paper, I analyze job-rejection letters received from departments of sociology, as instances of what Altheide and Johnson (1980) call bureaucratic propaganda. My purpose is to show that mundane documents can contain portrayals that legitimate the sending organization. In job-rejection letters, departments consistently are portrayed as meeting ideal norms of conduct: their members are rigorous, fair and nurturant, and they employ universalistic criteria. Rejected applicants are consistently portrayed as possessing superior job qualifications. All failures of departments to attain ideal standards are excused by reference to uncontrollable contingencies. I argue that the portrayals are rhetorical, and are independent of departmental action. Their existence in such mundane documents illustrates both the detailed efforts made to legitimate organizations, and the pervasiveness of bureaucratic propaganda in the society.I am indebted to Peter Adler for a thoughtful review of an earlier version of this paper. My thanks to Shulamit Reinharz for her detailed criticism and careful editing of this paper.